Reserve 150 seats for women in parliament

Rejecting the consensus commission's decision to keep 50 reserved seats for women in the parliament through nomination until 2043, the Committee for Social Resistance has called for major reforms to the system.

In a press statement, the committee -- a platform of 67 women's, human rights, and development organisations -- demanded that the parliament should have 450 seats in total, with 300 general seats and 150 reserved seats for women.

It called for ending the nomination system for reserved seats and instead filling these seats through direct elections from specific constituencies.

The committee said this arrangement should remain in place for two to three parliamentary terms.

On top of the 150 reserved seats, women should also be allowed to contest the general seats normally, it added.

Women in Bangladesh are now ready to be directly elected to reserved seats by the people's vote, thereby participating in the parliament with equal rights, equal dignity, and responsibility, and playing an effective and meaningful role.

The platform expressed astonishment that all political parties had agreed to what it called a regressive decision, ignoring the long-standing movement and demands of women for political empowerment aimed at building a democratic and equality-based society.

"Women in Bangladesh are now ready to be directly elected to reserved seats by the people's vote, thereby participating in the parliament with equal rights, equal dignity, and responsibility, and playing an effective and meaningful role," the statement said.

"They are also capable of influencing government decisions on women's issues in ways that deliver visible benefits for women. If women are directly elected to reserved seats, democratic practice will be further strengthened, and women's political participation will become broader and more meaningful," it added.

The committee urged all political parties to reconsider the consensus commission's decision to keep 50 reserved seats through nomination until 2043.

It also called on political leaders and the public to speak up for women's political empowerment, with the goal of building a democratic and equality-based state.

Speaking on behalf of the committee, Dr Fauzia Moslem, president of Bangladesh Mahila Parishad, said, "We hope, this time, the consensus commission will sit with representatives from the women's rights movement."

"Political parties must play the most important role in the political empowerment of women. If they do not nominate women, it will be difficult to ensure women's political empowerment," she said.

We want 150 reserved seats for two terms, and they must be filled through direct elections. Women are progressing in every field, but without these rights, true empowerment cannot be achieved," she added.